


The Saving of Wong Yukhei

by aaronburrbitch



Series: Tails of the HPA [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Complete, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Bad At Titles, M/M, Muteness, My First Work in This Fandom, Nightmares, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Past Abuse, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-10-29 09:42:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17805659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aaronburrbitch/pseuds/aaronburrbitch
Summary: Qian Kun is a very successful hybrid doctor who works with the HPA (Hybrid Protection Agency) to rescue hybrids from abusive homes and other bad situations.Walking to work one day, he hears a strange sound from behind a fence. Kun stops to investigate, and what, or should I say *who* he finds then will change his life forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first work in the NCT fandom! I feel like I've read every single work on here, and so I thought like I should contribute to this. 
> 
> In this fic, there are possible triggers such as past starvation, being exposed to the elements, beaten up, cut, etc. All of these things occur in the past, and are not very graphic. This fic focuses on the recovery process, not the past. 
> 
> I would love any feedback, but please don't be too mean as this is my first NCT fanfic.

On a cold day in January, Dr. Qian Kun was seriously regretting his decision to walk to work. It was, in his opinion, ridiculously cold outside, and he wondered why he chose today of all days to start walking to work. Kun's work was actually not that far from his house, but the walk through the snow to get to the clinic felt like an eternity. But it was all worth it once he got there, and spent his hours diligently helping care for battered and abused hybrids rescued from their captors.

Deep in thought about what the day would bring, Kun continued trudging along the cracked sidewalk, going straight when he should've turned right. After a while, he heard an unfamiliar sound and looked around, soon realizing that he was in the wrong neighborhood. He heard he sound again and furrowed his eyebrows, it sounded like a growl. Not a vicious or angry growl, more like that of a stomach in need of a hot meal. Confused, Kun looked around for the source of the sound, but didn't have to look hard because, as his eyes swept around the seemingly sweet suburb, the sound came again, and he was able to pinpoint a location. It was coming from the fenced-in yard to his right.

Kun frowned and looked for a way to see into the yard, curiosity and worry getting the better of him. After a moment of searching, he located a spot where one of the white boards had been pushed away. It wouldn't be big enough for him to fit through but he could fit his arm through, and more importantly, he could see through the gap. And what a sight it was.

A tall, gangly dog hybrid lay curled in the snow, looking to be in immense pain, and chained to the fence by a large black collar. He was clearly starved- Kun was sure he could count every rib on the boy's body even from a few feet away. Also painfully noticeable was the lack of clothes on the figure, clad only in boxers and a ratty tshirt, he had to be freezing in the cold January weather, especially if his shivering was anything to go by.

Feeling anger rise in his gut towards the sick people who would hurt someone like this, Kun struggled to control his emotions temporarily for the hybrid's sake. He seized his lunchbox and, bringing out a thermos of warm soup, whistled softly to get the other's attention as he took the cap off.

Upon hearing the whistle and smelling the delicious scent of the soup, Yukhei's canine ears perked up and his nose quivered and twitched as it hunted for the source of the smell. Locating Kun and the soup, he stopped momentarily. His brain was telling him that he didn't know this man, and he shouldn't accept food from random strangers, especially when you didn't know what they'd want in return. His stomach, however, was telling him that none of that mattered, he was so hungry, desperate for food.

Kun did his best to smile and seem reassuring and safe, he wanted to help and the first step to that was getting the hybrid to trust him. It appeared to work because, after a second of deliberation, he began to crawl towards Kun, limping badly, and revealing several bruises and scars, as well as chafing from the collar.

As the younger got closer, Kun spoke quietly, saying, "You don't have to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I'm a doctor, you can trust me." He poured some of the soup into the lid of the thermos so it wouldn't burn the hybrid and handed it to him gently, taking stock of all the visible injuries for the case he was putting together in his head against whomever his "family" was. 

Keeping his eyes on the ground, Yukhei reached out a trembling hand to grasp the container. He brought it to his lips and quickly drained the soup. Passing the lid back, he smiled at Kun, clearly very happy about the free food. Kun thought it was the brightest, purest smile he'd ever seen, and he did his best to return it as he passed more soup over to the taller man.

Still smiling fondly, Kun took out his phone, making sure not to make sudden movements lest he scare the other away. With one hand, he quickly texted Taeyong, one of the leaders of the local Hybrid Protection Agency a quick message to let him know what was happening and where.

As he slipped his phone back into his pocket, satisfied that the team would be here soon, the doctor slipped off his jacket and passed it through the fence when Yukhei finished the second cup. He'd be fine until Taeyong arrived and the other needed it much more than he did. Yukhei hesitated for a moment, wincing and casting a glance at the back door, before quickly slipping the jacket on his skinny frame. As he relaxed into the warmth of the parka, he rewarded Kun with another of those big, beaming smiles.

Kun noticed the glance to the door, and looked at it. It definitely led into the relatively big house, which seemed to have plenty of room. Not for the first time, he wondered why anyone would do something like this to an innocent person, hybrid or not. Returning Yukhei's smile, he asked in a whisper, "Are they home? I promise, I'll get you out of here, pup. Can you tell me your name?"

Yukhei looked up from his third cup of soup- he'd slowed down after the first two and seemed to be savoring the feeling of a semi-final stomach- and made a face. He wanted to respond, to answer the stranger's questions, but his voice wouldn't work. He frowned, and put his hands over his mouth and then his throat trying to mime to the doctor his problem. 

It took Kun a moment to recognize what the canine was trying to tell him, and while he was working it out, Yukhei let his mind wander. The doctor man had said that he could help. How? And why would he? He pondered silently. He hadn't had much kindness in his life and all that he had had come with a price. Was this another one of those times? Would the man get him out of here, only to try to have his way with him later? But he seemed genuinely nice.... Yukhei's thoughts warred, debating emotions versus logic. 

Just as Yukhei's desperation and loneliness won out, and he decided to trust the doctor, it seemed that Kun had finally figured out his message. "You can't talk?" He asked, and when he received a nod in confirmation, he smiled sadly and longed to reach out and gather the pup into his arms and cuddle his troubles away. Instead, he added, "I work with the HPA, they'll be here soon, and we'll find you a safe, loving home." 

Yukhei nodded in answer to the statement and the question. He looked to Kun's face as he affirmed that he couldn't speak, expecting to see disgust or for Kun to be condescending, but what he saw was heartbreak on his behalf. Kun hadn't been the best at hiding his emotions, and it was plain on his face how much he seemed to care about a hybrid he just met. Yukhei would've turned pink if he wasn't so cold, and his frozen, bleeding tail managed a slight wag at the openly friendly look on the doctor's face.

Kun however did blush, and looked away with a smile, feeling ashamed at his show of emotions. He didn't want to scare Yukhei away, and he was supposed to be a professional doctor. Luckily for him, as he wondered what to say next, a HPA police cruiser and ambulance bearing their logo drove up, and Kun stood up from his crouched position to greet the officers. 

Out of their respective cars stepped Johnny Seo and Yuta Nakamoto, Taeyong's most trusted lieutenants.Grim, determined expressions on their faces, the uniformed men walked over to Kun, prepared for the worst. 

"Kun, what happened?" Johnny asked, voice hushed, "Taeyong said it was urgent, and to bring your van."

"Where's the hybrid, and where are the d-bags?" Yuta asked, almost at the same time. 

Crouching down again so he wouldn't lose sight of Yukhei, Kun turned to his friends and replied saying, "I was walking to work and I found this guy out here in the cold, starving and chained up. I won't know exactly how badly he's hurt until I get him back to the clinic, but he shows all the signs of extreme abuse. I think the perps are in the house, he kept glancing at the door." 

Johnny hummed thoughtfully as he took in the information, and fetched his tool kit from his cruiser (all of Taeyong's officers had started carrying them because they frequently had to break hybrids out of cages and such), and together he and Yuta pulled apart the fence boards on either side of the missing one. 

The task accomplished, Yuta spoke up, "I see what you mean," he said looking at the scrawny figure in front of them as the officers shifted their attention to cutting the chain attached to Yukhei's collar, "You take care of this poor guy, we're gonna go get those pricks." He said as he finished, drawing his weapon and heading to the back door. "HPA! OPEN UP!" he yelled and kicked in the door, Johnny following him inside. 

Kun turned his focus back to the shivering hybrid, who had flinched at the loud sounds and the unfamiliar people in his space. "Like I said, I work at a clinic at HPA headquarters, I'm very sorry for their loudness, they just make the arrests. They don't have much interaction with the people they rescue, so they don't have the best tact." He stretched out a hand then, reaching for Yukhei's.

Unsurely, the hybrid gently took it, ice cold skin meeting Kun's slightly warmer skin. He tried to get up, but realized that with the injuries, could, and malnutrition, he couldn't stand. 

Sensing his frustration, Kun asked gently, "Can I carry you? We need to get to the ambulance, and I don't want you to hurt yourself." Yukhei hesitantly nodded again, and Kun carefully picked him up, making certain to avoid any obvious injuries. He felt an immense wave of anger tinged sadness wash over him as he felt just how light the tall hybrid was as he carried him. 

Setting Yukhei down on a stretcher in the ambulance, Kun smiled reassuringly and brushed Yukhei's matted and shaggy hair out of his face. "It'll all be okay, pup. Let's get you back to WayV Clinic and we'll get you all latched up. Just continue being strong for me," he said not letting go of his hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kun and Yukhei at WayV Clinic, plus some new faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note about hybrids in this fic: they need to be touched and cuddled more than normal humans, and to go without touch can seriously hurt the hybrid's mind. No one has touched Yukhei in a positive way in years, so that's part of the reason he's so receptive to Kun.

The ride to the in the ambulance was mostly silent, with Yuta's EXO playlist providing  background music from the front of the van. Kun had turned the heat up, and Yukhei was relaxing happily in the warmth, feeling his ice cold skin begin to thaw as Kun looked over him, scanning his body for serious injuries. 

Yukhei appeared to have cuts and bruises on almost all of his visible skin, but Kun was particularly  worried about the other injuries. It looked like his tail was broken, pretty badly too, as well as a bone or two in his feet. The doctor was also worried about the cause of muteness in the tall hybrid. Some "owners" would illegally remove a hybrid's vocal chords if he or she was being too loud, and the thought of something that cruel and painful happening to this pup that was smiling blissfully at the feeling of warm air made Kun feel sick to his stomach.

In addition to the cuts, bruises, and breaks, Yukhei was also terribly skinny, especially for someone his height, and Kun was worried for him. There were so many ways this could get even worse, and he was scared of them happening, even if he schooled his face into a kind, professional smile.

By the time they finally reached the clinc, Yukhei had finally warmed up a bit, and Kun was livid at the abuse the hybrid had undergone. He squashed his anger as Yuta opened the back of the ambulance and scooped up Yukhei into his arms again. 

As they arrived at Kun's office, the clinic's other doctor, Dong Sicheng, or Winwin to his friends, was waiting for them by the door. He began setting up the equipment they needed as Kun placed Yukhei on an examination table and explained to the spooked hybrid what was happening. They needed to get the collar off his neck first, and bathe him and give him a haircut so that he'd be more comfortable, and they could check for injuries better. 

Understanding now what was happening, Yukhei willingly, if a bit hesitantly, went along with what the doctors were doing. He gasped as Sicheng clipped the tight metal collar, feeling air on the skin there for the first time in years. It hurt badly, but less so now that he was free from the unforgiving metal.

With distaste, Sicheng gathered up the chain and collar and unceremoniously dumped then into the trash while Kun went to run a warm bath in the bathtub they kept in the back of the room. After it had filled up most of the way, he turned again to Yuhei.

"You need a bath to clean up, and that would go a lot smoother without these clothes on. Would you be alright with that? I promise, no one will try anything," he asked, carefully taking Yukhei's hand again. The taller man nodded slowly, eyes trained on Kun's face, looking to make sure he was sincere.

Kun smiled gently and helped Yukhei remove his shirt, maintaining eye contact with the skittish hybrid to reassure him and refusing to make him uncomfortable by staring at his concave chest. Once the shirt was off, Yukhei slipped off his too-big boxers and covered himself with the towel that Kun had set on the table next to him. Kun picked him up again and carried him over to the bathtub, setting him in gently and being sure not to disturb his hurt tail.

Yukhei winced as the warm, soapy water washed over his plethora of cuts and scrapes, stinging as they were cleaned. Noticing his discomfort, Kun stretched out a hand to reassuringly pet his head , scratching tenderly at the bases of his ears, helping the hybrid to relax. 

Once Yukhei seemed to relax into the warm water, the doctor lathered up a washcloth and began to delicately scrub at Yukhei's skin, removing the layers of dirt that were inevitable when living outside. Switching to a softer, cleaner washcloth, Kun gently rubbed at the grime on Yukhei's face, smiling gently when the younger sighed happily as he was cleaned.

Now that he was seeing Yukhei clean and content, Kun was struck by how handsome the young hybrid was. The removal of the cakes of dirt had revealed a very cute honey-skinned, sparkling-eyed man, and the sight of him grinning broadly made Kun beam back at Yukhei as he rubbed hybrid-friendly shampoo and conditioner in to his hair, massaging his scalp. 

Yukhei whined as Kun's nimble fingers ran over his scalp. It hurt slightly due to the sensitivity of the skin and the dense mats of hair, but overall the sensation was very nice, he had been touch starved for so long, and having warm, soapy, gentle hands massage his head felt like the best thing on earth.

After a few more moments, during which the doctor directed his attention to tenderly cleaning his wounds, Kun was satisfied that Yukhei was clean and bosed him off before lifting him back on the table. He picked up the towel again and started to gently dry the handsome canine off with the fluffy cotton material, paying special attention to Yukhei's ears so that he wouldn't get an ear infection. Once he was dried off, Yukhei found himself being helped into a soft, warm hospital gown.

The basic cleaning done, Sicheng came back over and helped Kun start the long process of the examination. First, they had to clip the parts of Yukhei's hair that were matted so badly they couldn't be untangled. Yukhei winced at each snipping sound, but when they were done he reached up and ran his finger through his shorter hair, loving its new soft, fluffy feeling.

The next order of business was to weigh Yukhei and catalog the massive amount of injuries on the hybrid's body. By the time they had finished, Sicheng was as eager for Yukhei's previous owners punishment as Kun was, and both doctors had worked at the clinic for years now. After the inspection, Sicheng set about cleaning the cuts while Yukhei gripped Kun's hand tightly as the other doctor bandaged him up, the worst cut being the gash around his neck, which Sicheng slathered in antibacterial before wrapping in gauze.

Now, they came to the hard part: inspecting for internal injuries and broken bones. Kun's suspicions were confirmed as they found multiple breaks in Yukhei's tail and feet, splinting the tail and putting casts around his feet after giving him some anesthetic so he wouldn't hurt. 

To Kun's immense relief, they didn't find any internal injuries other than the breaks, but before they wrapped up the examination, he told Sicheng about Yukhei's inability to speak, hoping his estimated diagnosis was wrong. Sicheng and Yuta's hybrid, Taeil's previous family had removed his vocal chords, and Sicheng swore he could tell the difference in his throat.

Deferring to the other doctor's expertise in the matter, Kun held Yukhei's hand and waited with bated breath to hear the verdict.

"Well, it seems like they're still there, but damage. If you look here, Kun," he said, gesturing to a jagged scar down Yukhei's throat, "You can see that someone definitely went in there, but I don't think they were removed. Perhaps with some medication, you can talk again." He finished, directing the last statement to the hybrid who clapped happily, excited. He'd thought he'd never get out of there, and certainly he'd never dared to hope that he could one day talk again! Yukhei happily nuzzled into Kun's side, excited and overjoyed at the day's events. 

Kun smiled down at him from where he stood, and ran a hand through Yukhei's hair. "That sounds great, thank you Sicheng. Once I get his diet plan drawn up, I'll send it to you, if that's okay. I've gotta go check in with Taeyong now, though. Tell Yuta I said thank you as well," he said, and beamed gratefully at the other doctor.

"My pleasure," Sicheng said, before walking over to the supply cupboard and drawing out a small whiteboard and marker. "Here, take this. I always keep some in here in case we have another patient like Taeil," he told Yukhei handing the hybrid the board. 

Exited to be able to communicate, ye sloppily wrote, 'Thank you!' Followed by a smiley face on the board that complemented the one on his face.

Kun ruffled his hair and grinned as he asked the hybrid, "Now that you have a way to talk, can you tell me your name, pup?" 

Yukhei enthusiastically nodded, and wrote out his name on the board, followed by a question, 'Wong Yukhei, what about you?"

"Nice to meet you officially, Yukhei. My full name is Dr. Qian Kun, but I just go by Kun. And this is Dr. Dong Sicheng," the human said, gesturing to the taller doctor. Sicheng waved hello, before Kun continued speaking, "I need to go report to our boss soon about how you're doing. Would you prefer to stay here with Sicheng or come with me?"

Yukhei replied quickly, writing, 'Nice to meet both of you too! Thank you for everything you've done for me!" The writing occupied the whole board, and so he had to erase part of the message before answering the second part of what Kun said, 'Can I come with you please?"

Both doctors accepted the thanks and replied saying it was the least they could do, while Kun added that, of course he could come with him, Taeyong wouldn't mind. He walked over to the door, and opened it to reveal a closet full of hybrid clothes.

After Yukhei was fully dressed, Kun picked him up for what felt like the thousandth time that day, not that he was complaining, and this time, the hybrid wrapped his long legs around the doctor so he could see better, and so the position was easier for Kun. Waving goodbye to Sicheng, the human-hybrid duo entered the elevator, and Kun pushed the button that would take him to the top floor where Taeyong's, Yuta's and Johnny's offices were. 

Stepping out of the elevator, Kun walked them over to the door to the office bearing a plaque saying, "Lee Taeyong, HPA Chief Seoul District" and knocked before letting them in. 

Sitting behind a simple, neatly organized desk was Chief Lee, pink hair complimenting his fitted navy uniform. His eyes lit up as he saw the duo enter the room, and he stood up to greet them, saying, "Ah, Kun! I was expecting you, is this the hybrid that you and Yuta brought in?"

Kun nodded an affirmation and replied with a "Yes, sir, this is Yukhei. I found him on my way to work. Yukhei, this is the chief of the Seoul division of the HPA, district 127." Yukhei waved shyly, privately thinking that the boss seemed sweet and kind, not at all the harsh, tough man he'd been expecting. But, he guessed, he probably acted a bit more intimidating towards criminals.

"Hello, Yukhei. It's nice to meet you, did Kun and Sicheng get you taken care of?" When his question was met with a nod, Taeyong grinned and said, "Good. Now all that's left to do is settle where you'll be living. Most of our staff already have partners and hybrids at home, so I'm not really sure where would be best." He tapped his chin in thought, humming slightly.

Kun looked at the sweet, enthusiastic hybrid in his arms, and piped up, "Sir, if it's alright with you and Yukhei, I could take him home with me. I don't have anyone that would mind him being there, and I could look after him, making sure he's getting the proper care." 

Yukhei's eyes grew wide and he beamed again, smile on full power, as he nodded very quickly, writing a definitive, 'YES, PLEASE!'on his board. He hadn't known him for long, but he already really liked Kun, and trusted him almost completely. He would love to go home with the doctor and spend more time with him. 

Taeyong considered the idea for a moment before nodding also. "That actually sounds like a really good idea, Kun. Like the other officers and staff, you'll get two and a half months of leave to take care of Yukhei and get him settled into your house. I'll only call you in if Sicheng really needs your help in the clinic."

"Thank you sir, I'll use the time wisely," Kun replied, grinning and squeezing Yukhei slightly. He'd only known the hybrid for a few hours, but he couldn't wait to take him home and help him recover, and if he spoiled Yukhei a little, what was the harm in that?

"Alright, pup, let's go home."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of day one, settling into Kun's house

 The ride to Kun's house was a lot louder than the one to the clinic. It seemed Yukhei had gotten over his initial shyness, as he was now cranking up the volume on a rap song and lip-synching along as he danced. However, every once in a while, he'd glance over at Kun as if to check if it was still okay. Everytime the hybrid looked over to the driver's seat with a hesitant expression, the doctor just smiled back reassuringly, privately thinking it was very cute.  
  
As they pulled up at his home, Kun walked around to the other side of the car to carry Yukhei inside, hoping the other didn't mind getting carried too much. Unless he wanted a wheelchair or crutches, there weren't many other options. And besides, plenty of people carried their hybrids... they were just usually couples.  
  
At least for now, Yukhei didn't just not mind being carried, he really liked it. It felt like, and maybe it had been, years since anyone had touched him for any purpose other than to hit him, so being toted by this warm, kind person felt like heaven.   
  
The house itself wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. It seemed to be the classic middle class home, as Kun's job payed fairly well but not much since it was government funded. It would have plenty of room for a hybrid or children to run around and play without seeming cramped. It also had a sizable yard, which was fenced in,  but it was just chain-link and easy to escape. In short, Yukhei loved it.  
  
Shifting in to a host-like voice, which amused Yukhei to no ends judging by the silent giggling fit he was having, Kun walked him around the house, showing him where every room was. Kun had, at one point had a cat hybrid that lived here until he moved in with his boyfriend, so he had a spare bed. Yukhei was excited by it, but also kind of sad he wouldn't be staying in the same room as his new friend.   
  
The tour of Kun's house was going great until he, unthinkingly, opened a door to show Yukhei the back yard. His thought process was that the hybrid would have a safe place to run around and frolic outside. However, when Yukhei heard the word "backyard" he automatically tensed and started wriggling in Kun's arms, trying to get away, thinking of all the time he spent freezing and starving in the backyard.  
  
Realizing what he'd done wrong, Kun's eyes widened, and he closed the backdoor, and quickly set Yukhei down gently on the nearest surface, a kitchen counter. Yukhei, he noticed, was frantically looking around, searching for an exit. Kun placed his hands on the hybrid's knees, to try to calm him, but it was taken the other way. The spooked pup's fight or flight instincts were in full gear, and Kun was unintentionally blocking the room's exit. Fight it was, then. He let out the closest thing to a growl he could with his hurt throat, and slapped Kun, using the opportunity to lock himself in a room that was near the exit.  
  
As the lock to what happened to be Kun's clicked, Lucas looked around, trying to dry his sudden tears. Somewhere deep inside of him, the rational part of his brain knew that he needed Kun, he wouldn't survive long on the streets with a broken foot. Speaking of, it was hurting very badly, and he almost wished he hadn't run away (which had absolutely nothing to do with missing the comforting touch of Kun, thank you very much).  He sank down onto the floor next to a crate of Kun's things and randomly decided to go through them, finding all sorts of memorabilia.  
  
Meanwhile, Dr. Qian Kun was panicking. He felt like a terrible person as he searched the house, looking for Yukhei. He even called the hybrid's name, to no effect of course because of his muteness. Somewhere along the search for Yukhei, he felt himself on the verge of a breakdown, and forced himself to walk relatively calmly towards his room, one of the few places he hadn't checked, to get his anxiety meds. Upon realizing the door was locked, Kun forced himself to calm down enough to knock on the doors call out, "Yukhei, are you in there? I didn't mean to hurt or scare you, I promise. I wasn't thinking," he said pulling his hair and slinging down the door to sit with his back against it. "I was just unthinkingly showing you around, and I would never, ever lock you out there. I know you probably don't trust me, but can you please ome out? Or at least unlock the door so I can bring you some food? You must be starving."  
  
Yukhei, who had calmed down a bit by going through Kun's stuff and figuring out what else he could about the man, looked up from what he was reading at the knock. It was a short letter from someone called Jungwoo, and from what Yukhei read, he'd pieced together that he was a hybrid who had lived with Kun until he found love in someone called Doyoung and left Kun to be with him, but the letter said he missed him a lot.... Yukhei thought over the words Kun was speaking and the ones one the paper clutched in his hand. Kun really seemed sincerely kind and worried, and this Jungwoo person seemed to think he was nice (and everyone knew how hard cats were to please). Hesitantly he crawled to the door and turned the lock, opening it slowly.  
  
Kun heard the click of the lock and turned around slowly, so as not to startle Yukhei. The hybrid shyly crawled next to him, hurt foot dragging a bit behind him. Amazed at the display of trust, Kun carefully and slowly reached out to pet Yukhei's ears gently. "Is this okay, pup?" He asked, murmuring the question quietly.   
  
Yukhei tended momentarily before leaning into the touch, trusting Kun, at least for now. He nodded in answer to the question and sighed, content. After a moment of being petted, he looked up at the doctor, sending him a questioning look at the sad expression on his face.  
  
Kun sighed, and spoke again, still playing with Yukhei's hair and ears, "I really didn't mean to scare you, and I feel like a failure and a terrible person because I did... You don't have to respond to anything i say but just in case you want to, I brought your board from the kitchen." He attempted a small smile and passed it over, along with some new markers. He wasn't upset by the puppy, far from it, he was angry with himself for doing something so stupid. He just wanted Yukhei to be happy.  
  
Yukhei took the board and thought about what Kun said while he was petted. If it really was an accident, it was less bad, but what if the apology and the kind touches were just excuses to lure him out of the room. He cocked his head slightly, watching the man who was still petting him with one hand, while hiding his face in the other. He seemed sincere, and he'd been nothing but kind since they met. Also he was getting hungry again, and Kun was his only hope for food.  
  
He sighed after a minute of deliberation, and uncapped a royal blue marker to write out, 'I forgive you,' short and to the point. He didn't say it was okay, because it wasn't as Kun should have known better, but he was ready to move on.   
  
Kun looked up, read what was on the note and nodded, murmuring a thank you and trying to pull himself together. Reaching to pick up Yukhei again, he asked, "Are you hungry? If you want I can look at your foot, then fix some food."  
  
This time, his words brought a smile to Yukhei's face and he nodded, eager for food.   
  
"Great!" Kun said returning the bright smile. He set Yukhei down in a chair and kneeled down, inspecting the casted foot for any damage or further injuries. "It doesn't seem any worse, but try to stay off of it," he said, which was met with a glare from Lucas that clearly said, 'If you hadn't scared me, I wouldn't have run.'   
  
Nodding somberly again, Kun patted his head gently before washing up and putting some food on to cook.   
  
It wasn't anything fancy, but they had both had a long day and it was warm and filling as they sat and ate it at the small table in the kitchen. With affectionate eyes, Kun watched Yukhei dig in, eating quickly with a blissed out look on his face and the sound of his chewing breaking the comfortable silence.  
  
After Yukhei finished his first helping, Kun happily refilled his plate and said, "So, I was thinking. There's a lot of stuff you nee that I don't have right now, like clothes, toiletries and anything else you need to feel at home, whether it toys and treats or plushies. Would you like to go shopping tomorrow? "  
  
Lucas paused in his eating to write, 'Sounds good!' Before going back to his food. A minute later, though, he tapped the table to get Kun's attention and wrote out, 'Can I ask a question?' Seeing Kun nod, Yukhei continued, 'Who was Jungwoo? I saw his letter in your room.'  
  
Kun thought for a moment before starting the story. After he'd been at the clinic for about a year, a cat hybrid came in with some of the worst scars and cuts he'd ever seen, but Kun took a liking to the shy but feisty kitten. Once Jungwoo was cleared to leave the clinic, he came to live at Kun's house, but one day he met this really nice guy, Doyoung at the park and the next thing Kun knew, the two were head over heels in love, and Jungwoo wanted to move in with Doyoung. "You can meet them sometime if you'd like," he offered as he finished the story.  
  
Yukhei, who'd been listening with rapt attention, wrote then,'That would be nice. That was a sweet story, even if it must have hurt when he left.' Kun nodded in agreement and reached across the table to tuck a stray piece of the hybrid's hair back into place, causing Yukhei to blush as he yawned sleepily, it was early, about 4:30 (the examination had taken a couple of hours), but the hybrid's long and stressful day, along with the warm food in his belly were making him sleepy.   
  
He tried to hide the yawn, wanting to stay awake and here more stories. He hadn't been anywhere other than his previous owners' house and yard in years, and wanted to hear more about the world. Kun, however caught the yawn and offered gently, "How about we go get you a bath and then you can take a short nap. After that we'll see about a late supper and a movie or some more stories."   
  
Yukhei agreed, slightly reluctantly, and Kun beamed as he picked him up and carried him to the bathroom. He began filling up the tub,turning his back to give Yukhei some privacy as he stripped. That task complete he went over to the closet and rummaged through it till he found what he was looking for: hybrid bubble bath, left over from Jungwoo's stay. Smiling, he added it to the water and waited for Yukhei to notice it. When the hybrid did, he clapped his hands excitedly and made grabby hands for Kun to pick him up and put him in the bath.   
  
Chuckling, Kun obliged and averted his eyes from the nude hybrid as he set him down in the bubbly, warm water, adding a sort of donut stool to keep his tail dry and safe, as well as instructing him to keep his hurt leg dry. Yukhei beamed brightly and splashed about in the bubbles, having never had a bubble bath before today. Kun grinned and lifted up a few of the bubbles to give Yukhei a beard, grinning at the silent laughs that ensued.   
  
After the bath, Kun carried Yukhei to the very comfy couch for a quick nap. He looked down at the canine in his arms and laughed at the sight. Despite saying he wasn't tired Yukhei had already fallen asleep, just walking from the bathroom to the couch. He laid the taller man down on the couch and draped two blankets over him before curling up himself in the armchair next to the couch.   
  
Yukhei awoke alone, but warm and thirsty. He sat up and looked around, remembering where he was and searching for Kun. Not wanting to wake the man, he decided, perhaps foolishly, to try and walk to the kitchen for some water. Of course, he wasn't considering the fact that his leg was in a cast, and he collapsed to the floor when he put weight on the broken bone, hitting his arm on the coffee table as he went down.   
  
Kun awoke to a loud thump. He jerked into consciousness and looked around for the source of the noise. What he found was Yukhei, lying on the floor, clutching his arm in pain, his eyes dark with it. In a heartbeat, Kun was kneeling on the floor and stroking the hybrid's hair as he helped him sit up, cradling his larger frame. He reached out and gently took Yukhei's arm, inspecting it carefully for any signs of damage, and concluded that he would have a nasty bruise, but nothing was broken, and that was lucky with how weak Yukhei's bones were due to his malnutrition.   
  
If he could've made a sound, Yukhei would've been whimpering as he lay against Kun's chest. He hated feeling like a helpless and overly clumsy baby. Hadn't he been through enough? Couldn't he even walk a few feet for a cup of water? He buried his face in Kun's shoulder and cried, embarrassed and upset at his helplessness.  
  
Kun's soothing voice cut through his self doubt, as he said, "Shh, pup. It's okay. I'm here." As Yukhei's cries quieted, he sniffles, and Kun asked, "What were you getting up for?"  
  
Shyly Yukhei grabbed for his board and wrote out, 'I wanted water, but I didn't want to wake you up.' Which resulted in Kun wrapping his arms around him and assuring him that he didn't mind being woken up if the hybrid needed anything.  
  
Once they were both calmer, Kun helped Yukhei back on to the couch and fetched him a glass of water. The hybrid gulped it down and smiled brightly at him. After that they are a late dinner in comfortable silence, and then began getting ready for bed, since they had a big day tomorrow.   
  
Kun found a pair of pajamas that would do for the night, and laughed at the sight of them ending just below the tall hybrid's knees, and Yukhei joined in once it became apparent the top would be a crop top. "I'll get you better ones tomorrow," Kun promised once their laughter died down (which took a considerable time for Yukhei). Yukhei just nodded and yawned happily.  
  
Then there was the issue of sleeping arrangements. "So the options are, you can sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch, you can sleep in what used to be Jungwoo's bed and I'll stay in mine, or I can take Woo's old room," Kun offered, to which Yukhei responded with a quizzical look.  
  
Grabbing the marker and board, he wrote out a question, 'Why can't we both stay in your room?'  
  
"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable with the offer, but I don't mind if you don't," the human said, and when Yukhei nodded happily, so did he and carried him back to the bedroom.   
  
Setting Yukhei down on the bed and climbing under rhe covers himself, Kun hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around the canine, whispering, "Goodnight, pup," as they both drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this! I hope you guys are enjoying the story, and hang on cause this is looking like it might be a long ass ride.
> 
> As always, Comments and Kudos are very appreciated, love you guys!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yukhei and Kun's shopping trip, including several firsts for Yukhei and some more new faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late update, I've had the flu and my mom had a surgery Monday. I still feel like death warmed over, though so I hope this doesn't suck. 
> 
> Less gedd it

Yukhei awoke the next morning in a soft, comfortable bed with sunlight filtering through the window. He looked around, amazed at the bedroom he was in. The hybrid had been sure that yesterday's events were dreams, but now, confronted by a warm, soft bed, he thought he was dead. This certainly felt too good to be true...

Until his stomach rumbled, making him realize that he wasn't dead and yesterday was real. But something was missing... Where was the not-angel that lived here? Yukhei had fallen asleep next to him, but he woke up alone. He was frustrated slightly with the doctor, for leaving him stranded in bed, with no way to let him know he was up.

Whining at being alone after so many cuddles, the canine was upset until he saw something on the nightstand. Eyes widening, Yukhei took in the shiny phone sitting on the wooden surface with a sticky note that simply said, 'For you' in very neat handwriting. His hands trembling, and eyes still impossibly wide, Yukhei picked up the phone and pushed one of the little buttons so it lit up. 

The phone showed one notification, a message from a contract saved as 'Kun' that read, "Text me when you wake up! :)"

It took Yukhei a minute (he'd never even held a phone, much less used one before), but he managed to unlock it and to respond with a simple, "I'm up," unfamiliar with the technology. Not long after he'd pushed send, a head appeared in the doorway, followed by the rest of Kun's body. 

"Goodmorning, Yukhei, I've got breakfast cooking in the kitchen. Did you sleep okay?" The doctor asked, and, seeing Yukhei smile at the idea of food and nod in response to his question, Kun's face lit up.

Picking up his dry-erase board, Yukhei wrote out, 'I slept good is the phone really mine?' He was shocked that the man would spend this much money on him, especially on getting it here so quickly. Shuddering internally, he wondered what he was expected to do in return. 

Still smiling, Kun nodded and spoke again from where he leaned against the door frame, "Yeah, it is. Taeyong brought it over from the HPA and some cash for anything you might need, not that I would mind spending my money on you, pup."

Yukhei felt a bit better at those words and his smile returned to his face as he reached out his long arms and made grabby hands at Kun, wanting to find the aforementioned breakfast that was undoubtedly the source of the smells his sensitive nose was picking up on.

Chuckling, Kun walked over to the bed and picked up Yukhei, clad in his too short pajamas. Walking to the kitchen, he set the taller down in a chair, mindful of his tail. Scratching his ears, the doctor turned back to what he was cooking: pancakes and bacon with a side of fruit. Usually, he tried to eat healthy, but now that he had Yukhei joining him for all his meals, he needed to focus on getting the hybrid back to a healthy weight.

Once he'd cooked the last pancake (two for him, and three for Yukhei), Kun set the food on the table, watching Yukhei glance at him, seeming worried, before starting to scarf down the pancakes. Worriedly, he cautioned, "Careful, don't eat too fast or you'll make yourself sick." 

Yukhei looked up from where he was devouring a piece of bacon and as his eyes met Kun's fond, but concerned ones, he paused before resuming chewing, slower this time. Kun smiled at that and popped a piece of fruit in his mouth before starting on his own pancakes. Yukhei continued eating at a more reasonable pace, and soon both plates were clean, and Kun was putting them in the dishwasher. 

Turning to address a full and sleepy (and also a bit syrupy covered) Yukhei and petting over his head, Kun asked, "Do you want a bath before we go shopping?" Yukhei nodded so the doctor picked him up again and took him to get cleaned up. 

After they were both clean, Kun handed Yukhei back his clothes from the clinic, which he'd washed, to wear and promised to buy him more when they went out. For himself, he chose comfy jeans and a tshirt with a cardigan over it. Once both were ready to go, Yukhei was almost bouncing from excitement and practically jumped into Kun's arms when he was picked up to go to the car.

Yukhei had never been to a mall before, and only really understood what they were when Kun explained, but that didn't stop him from being very excited to go to one. He was very energetic, and the idea of new, cool clothes made him happy. 

For a moment, his brain strayed to having to repay Kun, but he remembered the conversation this morning when the shorter said he had money from the clinic and didn't mind spending his personal money on him. If his tail wasn't splinted, Yukhei would surely have been wagging it as he remembered incredulously how Kun had said the newfound happiness and kindness were free. He still didn't understand why Kun was being so good to him, but he wasn't complaining as he fiddled with the car's heating, and played music from the doctor's phone. 

Glancing over at Yukhei, Kun grinned at the energetic puppy who had apparently discovered SHINee. He reached a hand over and turned the volume up on Ring Ding Dong, laughing sweetly as Yukhei danced along to the song with a giant grin plastered across his face.

Once they arrived at the mall, Yukhei pawed at the door excitedly, ready to see a new place and meet new people. A chuckling Kun came around to the passenger's side and unbuckled the excited hybrid, scooping him up into his arms. 

"Before we go in," he said," there are a few rules. You won't be hurt if you break them, but the special surprise I have for you will be canceled until tomorrow, okay?" Yukhei nodded, a bit hesitantly, and Kun continued, "No doing anything that could endanger yourself or other people, be mindful of your casts, and be respectful to others and myself. I know you probably won't have any problems with following the rules, but I wanted to tell you ahead of time."

Surprised at the few, easy to follow rules, as well as the light punishment, Yukhei smiled and nodded energetically, laying a sloppy puppy kiss to Kun's cheek. That settled, Kun headed off into the mall.

They really only needed to stop at a few stores and the food court. The first stops were to two stores designed especially for hybrids, one carrying supplies, the other clothes. Kun also wanted Yukhei to have a few options for formal wear, but they could wait for now, as the suit shop was renovating their hybrid section.

First, the duo headed to the clothing store. It wasn't a law, but hybrids were highly "encouraged" to wear collars. If a hybrid wasn't wear a collar, it was assumed that they were up for adoption, and anyone could take them home. For now, though, Yukhei was fine as he was literally being carried around (and his neck was still healing so he couldn'twear one anyways). As such, Kun carried Yukhei over to look at collars, but told him it wasn't a big deal if he didn't find one today. He wanted it to be the perfect fit for the hybrid whose only experience with a collar was the iron monstrosity in the WayV clinic garbage.

Yukhei scanned the shelves for a moment, taking in all the styles from his perch in Kun's arms. There were a few that caught his eye, and he was able to pick a few basic styles he liked, but none really called to him. His ears turned down slightly, a bit sad he didn't find one he liked but maybe it was for the best. There were some nice ones, sure, but as long as he didn't have to worry about being taken away, he preferred not to wear one for now. He wasn't ready to wear a collar and belong to someone again. Not yet, anyways.

Kun reached up and petted his ears again, to reassure the hybrid that he was safe and that everything was okay. After Yukhei had returned to his happy-go-lucky self, the shorter man carried him around the store, picking out items of clothing Yukhei liked. Kun made sure to get everything Yukhei wanted, wanting to spoil and take care of the hybrid as his mothering instincts kicked in a bit. By the time they went to checkout, the shopping cart Kun had grabbed was brim full.

As they were told the total by the wide-eyed cashier, Kun reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. His hand was, however, stopped by a larger, but skinnier hand laying on top of it. Yukhei was frantically shaking his head, clearly not wanting to have that much spent on him. 

Kun took his hand in his and looked him in the eyes, saying, "It's alright, pup. You deserve it and need it. And I can afford it, in fact, it's my pleasure to. Please, let me take care of you, Yukhei." 

Still frowning slightly, Yukhei relented and withdrew his hand, allowing Kun to take out his wallet. After handing the cashier the wad of cash he'd gotten from Taeyong, the human wrapped his hand around Yukhei's with a smile. He just hoped they could use the cart for the whole mall. There was no way he could carry a 183cm hybrid and a ton of bags around the mall. 

Several bags of hybrid-friendly clothing, a negotiation for the cart, and a trip to the parking lot later, the duo headed back inside, this time into the hybrid supply store. Browsing the store, the two of them worked to pick out and put together the best selection of everything Yukhei would need: special soaps and shampoos, dietary supplements, rubber toys designed especially for dog hybrids, the lot. After double checking the list he'd made while Yukhei slept, Kun switched Yukhei over to his other hip and went to check out. 

As they left the store, Yukhei's ears perked up as he heard a sound that sounded like it was calling Kun. After a moment, it came again, this time louder and definitely Kun's name. Yukhei poked Kun and gestured for him to stop and turn around. 

Fighting their way towards them through the crowd was a tall, pretty cat hybrid and a human of about equal height who was holding the cat's hand. Kun's face lit up as he recognized the pair and smiled at them. As they got closer, he turned to Yukhei, saying, "Remebmber those friends I mentioned? Well, I'd meant for us to meet up with them later this week, but that's them coming this way. Jungwoo and Doyoung."

Yukhei nodded at Kun's words and cocked his head, sniffing at the unfamiliar smell. He'd never met a cat up close before, but he'd heard that they didn't get along well with dogs, so he clung to Kun extra tightly, making the human chuckle.

"It's okay, Yukhei. Jungwoo's a real softie, nothing to be scared of," he assured, petting the hybrid. Still, thought Yukhei, you couldn't be too careful, and it had sounded like this guy had made Kun sad by leaving, so he continued holding the doctor tightly. 

At this point, the other pair was upon them, smiling and waving at Kun and trying not to stare at Yukhei. The latter felt their gazes and hid his face in Kun's shoulder. Usually, he'd be happy to meet new people, but they kept looking at him weirdly, and it scared him so he did his best to hide and make himself look smaller. 

"Doyoung! Jungwoo! You're scaring Yukhei, stop staring at him!" Kun admonished, taking his hand off the cart to hold Yukhei with both arms. The puppy's ears indicated his apprehension and he was shaking. Frowning slightly, Kun led the party to sit down at a table, and brought Yukhei into his lap, soothing him gently with pets.

"Sorry, Kun, we were just wondering about his story, like what happened? Did you rescue him like 'Woo?" Doyoung asked, looking away from Yukhei to meet Kun's gaze. 

Jungwoo meowed softly and reached out to carefully pet Yukhei who, at first, flinched away from him, then leaned back towards him, allowing the pets. The kitten cooed at the shy puppy and continued petting him, happily watching as Yukhei grew more comfortable around him and began to perk up. 

Meanwhile, the humans were continuing their conversation, Doyound listening, eyes wide, as Kun recounted the story of how he and Yukhei met. All he was able to say was a shaky "Wow." After that, silence reigned as they watched Jungwoo coaxing Yukei out of his shell with pets and little stories about his time with Doyoung and Kun. 

After a while, Doyoung went to get food for the four of them (assuring Jungwoo that he'd be right back). Once he came back, the group tucked into their barbecue plates, Yukhei still eating a bit faster than everyone else and holding his share like he was afraid someone would take it away. Jungwoo noticed this and smiled sadly at the pup. The two had hit it off almost as soon as Yukhei came around, and it hurt the kitten's heart to think of how his playmate had been abused. 

They all finished eating and made arrangements for more hangouts and playdates in the future before splitting up, Jungwoo and Doyoung going on a shopping spree, and Kun and Yukhei headed out to the parking lot. 

As Kun helped Yukhei into the car and climbed in himself, he praised the hybrid, saying, "You were so good today Yukhei! We'll get your special treat on the way home, okay?" and scratching behind the hybrid's ears playfully. Yukhei smiled broadly and his tail longed to wag as he was told that he was a good boy. Praise was another new thing, and he found that be liked it. He liked it a lot. 

The special treat turned out to be a stop at the local ice cream parlor. Yukhei and Kun sat in the car as they ate, enjoying vanilla cones as they danced together to different kpop songs, the heat up to full blast. Once the ice cream was finished and they were on the road again, Yukhei was asleep within a second, a small, content smile on his face as he leaned against the window. Smiling at his cuteness, Kun turned down the music and turned the air vents to blow towards the sleeping Yukhei.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yukhei's struggles with trusting Kun and accepting his kindness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is late, again (I'm still sick and I had to write a 2,000 word women's rights essay), and I'm sorry to say it but it'll probably become the normal. I'll try to update every few days at least, though.

As Kun pulled into the driveway, Yukhei was still dozing against the window, his ears twitching gently in his sleep. Turning the car off, he smiled and reached over to pet him. He felt like he'd known the over-excitable hybrid for years, even though it had only been a day. Yukhei had such a big heart, even after all of the neglect and abuse he'd endured, and though Kun was impressed at his courage, he was still worried for Yukhei.  
  
Shaking his head and pushing his worries aside for now, Kun gently woke Yukhei up, not wanting him to be scared by waking up in a different place than where he fell asleep. He explained this to the sleepy hybrid who nodded, dozing off again in Kun's arms as he carried him to bed. Once he tucked Yukhei in, the doctor set to the task of putting away everything they'd bought. With only a bit of effort, he was able to turn the vacant, lonely space of Jungwoo's old room into a happy space for Yukhei filled with all of his new things, plus some of Kun's for scent. He may be sleeping in Kun's room, but the human wanted him to have a place that was just his in case he wanted somewhere to retreat to.  
  
Satisfied that the space was ready to be lived in again, Kun smiled and traipsed back into his room, tucking something under the bed before curling up next to Yukhei, who subconsciously snuggled into the warmth. There was still a long road to recovery ahead of Yukhei, but at least he'd have someone to provide everything he needed to help him along the way. These thoughts on Kun's mind, the doctor curled around the tall hybrid and fell asleep, face buried in soft, dark hair.  
  
Yukhei awoke two or so hours later to the now semi-familiar comfort of Kun's bed. But this time, he awoke before the doctor, and took advantage of the fact to think and watch him. He was extremely grateful to the man for taking him in, but he still wasn't sure about him. Kun had been very nice so far, almost too nice, and Yukhei didn't entirely trust that. Years of being neglected and abused had taught him that there was no such thing as simple kindness. Everything had a motive, and everyone wanted something. The puppy inside him that never had nice pets, sweet praises, nor any real love longed to blindly accept Kun's generosity, but the man he'd become held him back, waiting for the other shoe to drop so that at least he'd know where he stood. At least he'd gotten some food out of this, even if it was only a front...  
  
Speaking of, he noticed he was getting hungry again. Now that his starved stomach had gotten a taste of real food in regular intervals, it seemed to believe it was entitled to three square meals a day. Yukhei frowned and poked at his abdomen trying to quiet it down. He needed to use this time to find out what he could... But, he couldnt walk, and that was so frustrating! Of he wasn't acutely aware of how badly his foot hurt, and had been hurting for the past month, he'd think it was a scheme to keep him handicapped. He really couldn't do any investigation now.  
  
Unless... He turned his head to look over at the nightstand, and struck gold. Kun's phone was sitting there, and he'd managed to get a glimpse at the passcode. After a few minutes of search pulled up nothing incriminating, he huffed and added a few contacts from Kun's phone to his. Could this guy actually be genuinely nice?  
  
Yukei unlocked his phone and started a group chat, adding Taeyong and Jungwoo to it. Jungwoo was another hybrid, and he'd lived with Kun before and Taeyong was the head of the HPA, do he could be trusted. Checking to see that Kun was still dozing, he typed out a quick message to them, explaining his hesitancy and apprehension about Kun's kindness and asking for their honest opinions of Kun. Waiting for a reply, he switched off his phone and pocketed it before rolling over to watch Kun sleeping peacefully, and hesitantly considering the small chance that he might have no ulterior motives. With cautiously optimistic thoughts on his admittedly guarded mind, Yukhei eventually fell back asleep, tucked against Kun in a comfy, but easily defensive position.  
  
This time when Yukhei awoke, it was because of a loud beeping sound coming from his thigh-area. Oh yeah, his cell phone. Taeyong or Jungwoo must have replied. Just as he moved to roll away from Kun to check it, he realized the other was awake too.  
  
"Hello, Yukhei," a sleepy Kun said, rubbing his eyes as he glanced at the clock, "What time is- oh no! I slept so long! You must be starving, pup." He inwardly berated himself for not setting an alarm. He'd just crashed, falling asleep without thinking that Yukhei had gone to sleep earlier while he'd set up the puppy's room, and he'd probably be waking up hungry soon. "I'm so sorry! You must think I'm awful," Kun sighed, apologizing as he clambered out of bed to go fix something.  
  
Brows furrowed, Yukhei cocked his head. Did he think Kun was awful? He didn't think so. Sure, he had his doubts about the other's true motives and the sincerity of his behavior, but he didn't think Kun was terrible just because he overslept and dinner would be an hour or two late. He was used to meals being days apart, and the doctor had spent the first half of the day carrying him around and spending money on him, so he deserved to be tired. Looking back up at Kun, he shook his head and sent him a short text, 'I dont think you're terrible. I've gone a lot longer without food.'  
  
Kun frowned as he read the text. It was sweet of Yukhei to say he wasn't awful, but the casual mention of his previous starvation made his guilt skyrocket. He knew how bad Yukhei had had it, even just yesterday morning. How could he have overslept and neglected to feed him?  
  
"Nevertheless, I shouldn't have overslept. I'm very sorry, Yukhei, if it ever happens again you're more than welcome to wake me up when you're hungry. I'll cook something for us right away. Before I do though, I have something to show you," Kun rambled, reaching under the bed to grab something.  
  
Yukhei flinched away, expecting the worst and ducking to cover his head with his arms. Kun looked back up, a bow-topped set of crutches in hand, to see the skinny hybrid quivering, curled into a ball on the floor.  
  
Yukhei was sure this was it. The other shoe was about to drop, Kun's real motives would come out. And the truth was, he was terrified. He'd hardly dared to hope that Kun was for real, but now those barely-there hopes were being crushed as he sat, waiting for a blow.  
  
A blow that never came. Instead, gentle arms wrapped around him and soft hands rubbed over his skinny back as Kun knelt to the floor beside Yukhei, gathering him up into a hug and murmuring soft, soothing words to calm the puppy. "It's alright, Yukhei. You're okay. I won't hurt you, I would never, ever hit you, okay? You're safe here, pup. Good boy, its okay," he soothed, holding Yukhei and rocking his shaking form.  
  
Eventually, Yukhei stopped crying, and a few moments after that, he stopped cowering, looking curiously up at Kun as if seeing him for the first time. Did he seriously mean that? It didn't seem like a trap, but the best traps weren't meant to either. Yukhei's head warred with his heart as he sat, quietly being rocked in Kun's arms. Part of him wanted to give Kun everything he had to offer and to freely offer up his live and trust, but the more cynical and world-weary side refuted that he was still an unknown stranger. As he thought, the smart and rational, but loving side presented what should have been the obvious solution. A compromise. He decided he could trust Kun, but not blindly. Like a trial run.  
  
That settled, Yukhei looked up into Kun's sparkling eyes, quirking a sassy eyebrow. Fetching the board again, he wrote, 'Thank you. Sorry about that,' which was, of course, met with Kun's protests to not apologize. The puppy rolled his eyes playfully and wiped away the message before continuing, 'What did you want to show me?  
  
"Well, I know you said you don't mind being carried, and I very much dont mind carrying you, and it's still the safest and healthiest way for you to get around, but just in case you really want to go somewhere by yourself when you're here, I bought you some crutches. From medical standpoint, though, I would advise against using them all the time because too much use can hurt your arms and ankles," he explained, handing over the crutches.  
  
Wide-eyed, Yukhei took the crutches. He probably would only use them as a last resort (he liked being carried, sue him), but the gesture spoke volumes. Kun was offering him a way to get away if he felt he needed to, which meant the world to Yukhei. His previous owners had broken his foot so he couldn't get away, and he hated that he couldn't even have the choice to try to escape. He minded being somewhere new a whole lot less if his ability to leave didn't depend on someone else. Smiling, he nodded gratefully at Kun and stuck out his hands to be picked up.  
  
Kun obliged him, happy and a bit relieved. He meant what he said, Yukhei really didn't need to use the crutches much, plus, he still got to carry him. Once Yukhei was settled in his arms, Kun helped the younger lift up the crutches to carry them. "Come on, Yukhei. I've got one more thing to show you. It's a good thing, I promise," he said to the other, holding him tightly but gently as he carried him to Jungwoo's, no, Yukhei's room.  
  
Yukhei squirmed in his arms at the mention of a surprise, but other than that, didn't react. If it was bad, he could just hit Kun with the crutches and run. Plus, Kun hadn't done anything to deserve his distrust. As they came through the doorway, he gasped. The room looked completely different. There were soft blue and red striped sheets on the bed, tons of new clothes hung in the closets, new furniture around the room (including a beanbag and a tower of drawers devoted entirely to fun things), and a chest of play toys sat in the corner.  
  
Kun set the shocked hybrid on the bed carefully. "What do you think of your room, Yukhei? You're still welcome to sleep with me if you want, but I thought you might- " he said, but was interrupted when the hybrid burst into tears and hugged Kun, burning his face in his shirt. No one had been this nice to him since, well, since ever. He still didn't trust Kun all the way, but this gift was a start on the right path. It was so sweet, he had a special place, just for him and that was the best gift he could have ever gotten. Shocked but happy, Kun smiled at Yukhei, hugged him back tightly and petted his head.  
  
After a minute, Yukhei broke away, wiping his eyes on his shirt and taking out his phone to text a "Thank you so much!" to Kun, beaming brightly at him.  
  
Reading the text, Kun's face lit up too, and he sat on the bed as well. "Of course, Yukhei. You deserve the world, puppy," he said, hugging him gently.  
  
Yukhei's tears made a reappearance as he leaned into the doctor's warm arms, taking in the kind words. He didn't want the world, he'd settle for this happiness that was bubbling in his chest right now. And food. Food was good. In line with his thoughts, his stomach rumbled then, reminding Kun that he needed to cook.  
  
Kun let go of Yukhei reluctantly and spoke again, ruffling the hybrid's hair, "Do you wanna stay in here while I cook? Get used to your room?" When Yukhei nodded, he hugged him again briefly and left, pausing by the door to add, "Text or call if you need me, pup." That said, the doctor headed to the kitchen and started on dinner, deciding to cook some burgers.  
  
Yukhei looked around the room again, still trying to take everything in. He couldn't believe all of this was really his, all his. Climbing off the bed, he crawled over to the toy chest, hunting through it to see what was in there and figure out what he liked best. His favorite so far was a chewy blue rubber bone with the word 'BOSS' of all things written across it. He was sat happily in his beanbag, chewing on the toy when his phone dinged with a text alert. Mesmerised by his room, he'd quite forgotten about it and the text he'd sent to Taeyong and Jungwoo. Pausing his chewing with the toy in his mouth, he pulled out the phone and checked it, revealing two new messages.  
  
~From, Jungwoo: Hi, Yukhei! You got my number I see! ;) Just kidding, lol. About your question, when I first moved in with Kun, I was a bit hesitant towards him. My previous owners liked hurting me a lot, and I was sure that Kun would be like that, every nice thing costing something. But, after awhile, I learned that he's actually really sweet. He's a big old lonely sweetheart, and he the only thing he wanted was me to be happy and some companionship. In a completely G-rated way. Like I said, I think he was lonely and didn't really have anything at home for him, so he just threw himself into his work, but when I met him, he spent all that overtime he'd put in at the clinic on me, pampering me and taking care of me. Before I met Doyoung, I'll admit I had a bit of a crush on Kun, but I think it was more like love towards a caretaker. Anyways he's a great guy, you're in good hands, puppy! Love, Jungwoo.  
  
~From, Lee Taeyong: Hello again, Yukhei. I hope you're settling in well with Kun. He's a great guy, one of our best doctors and a real softie. Honestly, you'd think he'd be desensitized to violence and abuse with how many hurt hybrids the HPA and WayV clinic sees, but he told me once that every case, no matter how severe, always breaks his hearts. As you can probably guess, he's very compassionate, and in my opinion, there aren't many people out there who would be on his level of caring for their hybrid (I hope/like to think I'm one of those few. You've really got to meet Jaehyun sometime) and I'm sure he couldn't be happier with you as his hybrid. I know your background is rough and you haven't been treated right so you're probably very wary of him, but he's genuinely one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. Have fun settling in!  
-Taeyong  
  
By the time Yukhei finished reading the texts, his jaw was hurting and their was a line of spit at the corner of his mouth. He took the toy out of his mouth and wiped his chin, thinking about Kun. From his own impressions and the glowing reports from Jungwoo and Taeyong, the older man seemed to actually be really sweet and he'd just taken Yukhei in out of kindness. He thought about what Jungwoo said, about Kun being lonely, and enjoying pampering his hybrids because of it, wondering if it was true. It would make sense, the only pictures he ever saw around the house were of Jungwoo or his HPA family. Hed just have to ask Kun if he worked up the courage. But at least Yukhei now mostly knew that Kun was trustworthy.  
  
Speak, or in this case, think, of the devil (or angel) and he shall appear. Kun knocked on the doorframe before sticking his head in the room and smiling kindly at Yukhei. "Dinner's ready! I made burgers, have you ever had one before?" He asked with a smile, reaching over to gather Yukhei into his arms with the hybrid's consent. Yukhei had, technically had a burger before, a week old, half eaten one from McDonald's anyways, but he didn't think that qualified, so he shook his head.  
  
"Well, not to toot my own horn, but you're in for a real treat then, pup. The guys at the HPA are always begging me to cook my world-famous burgers for them," Kun said, acting all smug like an Asian Gordon Ramsay, and Yukhei laughed silently at the exaggerations, clapping his hands in amusement as he was carried to the kitchen.  
  
He could get used to this, hell, he was getting used to this. And maybe he was alright with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not sure how long to make this and my plan for it is a very rough draft, so if you have an opinion or if there's something you'd like to see, feel free to request it and I'll do my best. Things will also start to pick up pace soon as well, less of a three chapter per day thing. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy reading! As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated, and thank you to everyone who reads this fic. 
> 
> Love you guys, K

**Author's Note:**

> Salutations! I was going to do little time skips and stuff to give glimpses of Yukhei's healing without the story getting boring, but I'm very busy and also dont really like that format, so I'm ending this story here and making this a series with several(?) fics about this length following the story line (along with Jungwoo's and Taeil's stories).
> 
> Love you guys, thanks for reading!!  
> ~K


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